


Beyond the Unknown Regions

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Star Wars Rewrites — Backstory [8]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Creepy Snoke (Star Wars), Fluff and Angst, Force Visions, Gen, Jedi Ben Solo, Luke Skywalker Is Not an Asshole, M/M, Nightmares, Pre-Canon, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, ominous ending, with Ben and Poe at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 09:13:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13232640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Ben’s nightmares may be the key.





	Beyond the Unknown Regions

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Mystery
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“You doing all right, Ben?”

Luke looked at Ben in that moment, and Ben swore that those eyes, though kind, were all but dissecting him. He flinched and looked away. Luke placed a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s all right, Ben. I’m not judging you. I’m trying to help you.”

How was he going to tell his uncle, though? It felt a lot like a secret that he had to keep, and a burdensome one as well. Even as he investigated, even as he read through the archives, he kept that secret close to his chest. He couldn’t risk it. Couldn’t risk being seen as the likely monster he was.

“If you ever need help, I’m right here. I promise.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah. Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Even as he headed back to the Academy, though, Ben wondered if he could ever really tell his uncle the truth. His uncle would likely think of him as some sort of freak — stars willing his mother seemed to think of him as one.

He was afraid. And even falling asleep, trying to block out the visions, Ben wondered if it was unrealistic, in fact, to pray for better dreams.

***

Poe helped. There was something about sleeping in Poe’s bed that was calming, just feeling the warmth of Poe’s body beside him, listening to his soft breathing. Or feeling him in his arms, so seemingly delicate, and yet so incredibly strong. Being in Poe’s arms, feeling them wrapped around him, and Poe marveling at how big Ben was. (Poe saw it as a good thing. He didn’t engulf like how Ben could with Poe, but he cooled and calmed Ben, momentarily stalled the monsters skulking around his head)

Sometimes they made love, just to deal with the nightmares. It was unusual, but it helped, on nights where Ben just needed the contact, the touch.

It was after one particularly horrifying nightmare that Ben shot awake, looking down at Poe, who was sleeping peacefully. Even looking down at him, Ben could have cried in relief. He couldn’t touch Poe, couldn’t wake him, not when he looked so peaceful. But he took out his datapad and wrote.

_Another nightmare. With every nightmare, every happening, I feel like I’m drowning, and trying to come up for air. And that air...Poe is that air. Poe is the air that I’d kill to breathe, by the stars. I’d do anything; I’d even marry him. And I keep seeing these visions of a man in a mask hurting him tonight. I can’t do it. I can’t take it. He’s my galaxy, my stars and moons and sky, and I couldn’t live with myself if he was hurt. He’d tell me that I'm being unrealistic, that everyone gets hurt on missions, but he should be safe._

_Stars, he deserves so much more. Flying for fun. Featherbeds, and not those uncomfortable cots they apparently have when he goes out on missions. Safety. Actual food, as opposed to the emergency rations he has to eat on missions. He deserves so much, and I hope I can give him that._

***  
When he told Poe about the nightmare, Poe’s face softened. Then, “It’s probably just a nightmare, Ben.”

“I don’t want that to happen to you.”

“I...” Poe wet his lips. “I can’t promise I won’t get hurt. But I have you.”

“You have all of me.”

“Yeah.”

Ben hugged him, practically engulfed him. The embrace was tight, pouring all of Ben’s adoration in there. He feared it was too tight, that he would crack Poe’s ribs, suffocate him, and he loosened it, drew away.

“I love you,” Ben said, all but impulsively, and even that didn’t cover how much he wanted Poe happy. Safe. Loved, so very loved.

“You don’t have to tell me, Ben. I already know.”

***  
It turned out that in time, Ben would have to leave on a mission. Uncle Luke had had visions of his own on top of Ben’s, and it was one of those things that simply was Jedi Business, No One Else Could Go. Poe was on a separate mission for the New Republic Navy anyway, and so not for the first time, they had to be separated.

"Be safe out there,” Ben said.

“You too,” Poe said. They leaned in, kissed softly before drawing away, and Ben caressed Poe’s cheek.

“I love you,” he said, and he doubted he could say it enough.

“I know, Ben.” Poe smiled at him, the warmest, sweetest smile that only made Poe more beautiful. “I love you too.”

***  
They were captured the moment they came out of hyperspace. A tractor beam, drawing them in, and Ben could feel the dark presence in his nightmares onboard the ship. A looming presence, full of heat that seemed almost smothering in that moment. Like his Force presence was some sort of desert planet.

Even onboard the ship, in the throne room, Ben got a look at the figure who had haunted his nightmares for the first time. A figure dressed in gold robes that seemed almost garish in nature.

The figure looked up, and Ben could see that he had eyes like the Yavin IV sky. There were scars all over his face, the most noticeable one down the center of his head. He was pale, almost gray in complexion, and everything about him suggested that he had been through quite a lot, actually.

“Ben Solo,” he said, and there was something about his voice that was almost amiable. This man could be somebody’s father. “At last we finally come face to face.”

“Who are you?” Ben said. “What’s your name?”

Silence. Then the figure chuckled; it sounded almost like a rumble. “Are names that important to you? Of course they are. They make things simpler, don’t they? My name is lost to history, but my title...my title is Snoke. If that pleases you.”

“Right. Snoke,” and Ben wondered who would call themselves a name like "Snoke”, assuming he chose the name himself. “I have...questions for you.”

“Don’t talk to him, Ben,” Luke said.

Snoke looked down at Ben. “You do without a doubt. I would be disingenuous if I did not give you the answers you sought here, now.”

“What do you want?”

Snoke looked thoughtful. Then, “What I want is far from relevant — what the galaxy needs is. And that is balance.”

“Balance?”

“Yes, child, balance. The Jedi have failed in their duty.” And even as Snoke explained himself, Ben couldn’t help but feel sick. How could anyone justify the Dark Side with bringing balance? How could they?

Ben could remember something that Uncle Luke taught him. Very few beings think of themselves as villains.

Snoke seemed to be no exception.

Snoke continued. “You always were the one who never belonged, weren’t you, Ben? The one who stood out. Perhaps here, you wouldn’t have to be.”

“No.” Luke said. “You won’t have my nephew.”

Snoke looked at him with the sort of scorn that could scorch. “Touching. Now you seek to defend him?”

“I’ll do what I can.”

“As will I.” Snoke rose from his throne, ignited his lightsaber — a red double-blade — and the duel began. Ben and the others assisted when they could, but in the end, it was an uncle’s love against Snoke’s twisted motivations. Eventually, Luke froze Snoke. The latter struggled, but he was effectively caught in the freeze.

Ben dialed his comlink then. Dialed Poe.

“Are you there? We need your help!”

***  
Snoke was taken away by the CSF when they showed up, and Ben was reunited with Poe. Even that was enough to calm him again, just for a while. He only wondered what he would say about what Snoke did to him, what he said...even that was too painful to talk about, too fresh. The fact that he was out of Snoke’s clutches was a relief.

“Are you okay?” Poe said, softly.

“I’m not.” Ben said. “But hopefully I will be.”

And yet Ben had a feeling, an uneasy feeling, that there was so much more to come.


End file.
